this day in icelandic history — The Reykjavik Grapevine %

Twenty Years Of Reykholtshátið: A Weekend Of Chamber Music In Borgarfjörður

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Reykholt, population sixty, is a tiny village tucked away deep in a valley in Borgarfjörður. It has a long history,…

Tagging Along With The Reykjavík Food Walk

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The idea of “Icelandic Food” is changing. A few years ago, and still a bit even today, the phrase “Icelandic…

Kingdom Come: Inside Iceland’s Complicated Relationship With The Danes

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Writing in ‘A Defence of Iceland’ in 1593, Arngrímur the Learned argued that “we are seriously to consider, what things,…

Who Cares About The Kurds?

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You cannot read the news about what’s happening in Syria right now without also reading about the Kurds. For many…

Rúnar Helgi Vignisson: “The Mountains Wrote My Books”

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In an interview with the Icelandic Literature Center, you suggest that the Icelandic population finds short fiction to be an…

Grapevine’s Best Of 2016: Best Museum

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Reykjavík is a relatively small city, but even so, sometimes you need a bit of local advice to find what…

Let’s Talk About Syr

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In Iceland you don’t talk about syr! Mention the Ukrainian white cheese, and you’ll be in for a festival of…

Who You Callin’ Pony?

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If you want to start a fight in Iceland, call their horses ponies. When I slipped up and did just…

Icelandic Media “Has No Policy Or Purpose”, Says Finance Minister

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Minister of Finance and Independence Party chairperson Bjarni Benediktsson had some choice words to share regarding his opinion of the…

“I’m Kött Grá Pjé and it feels right”

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The rap phenomenon Kött Grá Pjé will release his much-anticipated début album in early autumn. The rapper has garnered attention…

The Saga Of Icelandic Cinema: ‘Nói the Albino’

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Probably the most Icelandic moment in ‘Nói albínói’—and this is a very Icelandic movie, about Malt Extract, carrot cake, winter,…

Berjadagar Brings Classical To Ólafsfjörður

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It may be berry-picking season in Iceland, but for three days this month the town of Ólafsfjörður will have classical…

From Silence To Utopia: Queer History In Iceland

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When president Guðni Th. Jóhannesson took the stage at Reykjavík Pride on August 6 followed by a group of drag…

Iceland’s President Will Answer Questions Through Facebook

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Iceland’s new president says he will do his best to respond directly to the people, with the opening of his…

RECAP: The Tale of Jökull Búason

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I know we’re all pretty sick of trolls in 2016, but trolls were way funnier in 1260. So this recap…

Outgoing President Finishes On Top

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Now-former President Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson leaves his 20 years in office with very high approval ratings, a new poll shows….

Icelandic Mini-Malls, Capitalism & The Human Condition

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For a bright moment in Icelandic history, late-stage capitalism seemed triumphant, a utopia beyond nature and need. Over just a…

The Five Gaits Of Horsepower: A Trip To Fákasel Horse Park

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A glorious, wise and spiritual creature stands calmly in the stable. His eyes are focused, his carbon-black fur is shining…

Drag-Súgur: The Queens Of Reykjavík

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It’s Tuesday night and the heels are out at the rehearsal space of Drag-Súgur, Reykjavík’s latest and greatest drag performance…

Killed Polar Bear Had Newly Given Birth

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The polar bear that was felled in northwest Iceland last Saturday was still lactating, indicating she had newly given birth…

Davíð Roach’s Five Favourite Albums

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Davíð Roach is a vital figure in Icelandic music culture. For many years he and his friend Óli Dóri have…